StarCraft II has been out for over eight months now, and during that time it has attracted a thriving competitive community. Local gamers have not been left out of the action, and we even have a monthly tournament organised by PolarFluke which attracts between 70 and 100 gamers per month.
We caught up with Polarfuke founder Matthew Merks to find out more about the current state of competitive StarCraft in SA.
MyGaming: So we actually spoke to you a couple of months ago about PolarfluKe, but for the benefit of those who missed that introduction, would you like to explain what you do?
Matthew: My name is Matthew Merks, aka fluKe, and I am the MD of PolarfluKe. PolarfluKe was started in May 2010 as a local e-sports organization. We currently host and run StarCraft II tournaments for the local community.
MyGaming: PolarfluKe started just as StarCraft II was released in SA, how has the uptake been so far?
Matthew: The uptake by the community has been amazing; we are dealing with players from all corners of the community, from your casual guys who play once a month to the guys who are ranking in the top 200 of the ladder. It is rather special because the average age of StarCraft II players is older than in other competitive games, bringing a more mature approach to how everything performs.
MyGaming: How many people on average play in the monthly PolarfluKe competitions?
Matthew: Since the release of Starcraft II, we have seen numbers between 70 and 110 taking part in the tournaments, seeing loads of new players playing in every tournament. This month we surpassed 500 unique players having taken part in PolarfluKe tournaments.
MyGaming: Is there fresh blood coming through or are the same players dominating month after month?
Matthew: That may have been the case a couple of months back, but as time passes we are seeing more and more new faces making their way through the ranks. This month, Shase was knocked out in the round of 16, with the top 3 players being Stripe, ZXRP and seeM.
MyGaming: What are some of the biggest challenges faced by PolarfluKe?
Matthew: The biggest issue with running an e-sports organization is gaining the trust of potential sponsors as it is a new venture for most companies. Add in the recession and companies can find very few reasons to show their support, regardless of the potential gains for them. There aren’t really any other major challenges, I am fortunate to be in a position where I can say that my job is my passion. As a result, everything just seems to fall into place and works out at the end of the day.
MyGaming: Do you think it might one day be possible to be a full time pro gamer in SA? What needs to happen for this to be the case?
Matthew: Definitely! As our local player base matures and as organizers offer bigger benefits to sponsors, we will see a shift where certain players will develop into role-models and will see direct benefits from sponsors. As gaming moves ahead, certain players will start to become household names and personal sponsorships and salaries are a likely result. All that is needed is time and care from organizers, to help it move forward at a steady pace.
MyGaming: How do you think StarCraft II compares to FPSs like CoD4 and BC2 in terms of local competitive gameplay? Is it as popular?
Matthew: The popularity is undoubtedly there. The great thing about Starcraft II is the opportunity for our players to play against the best players in the world, without being held back by detrimental ping and latency issues. Also, with 2 expansions coming over the next couple of years, Starcraft II gamers are guaranteed that their game will still be played as time goes by, whereas we do not know if the CoD4 and BC2 communities will move onto other games.
MyGaming: In your opinion, are there any other RTSs that compete with SC2 as a competitive RTS?
Matthew: No, nothing compares to Starcraft II, RTS or otherwise. There is just something different about watching a Starcraft II tournament that draws people in. In my opinion is has to do with the ease of understanding it, but the impossible task of mastering it that makes it so appealing.
MyGaming: What are your goals and plans for PolarfluKe over the coming year?
Matthew: We are working on some deals that will bring up sponsor confidence, allowing us to take on additional sponsors and letting us give more to the community in terms of prize money, benefits and pure content on the site.
We are also looking to expand our reach by taking on a couple of new games during the year, which we hope will help bridge the gap between competitive console and PC gamers.
Additionally, we are in talks that will see us move to a whole new level. Hopefully these plans come through so the local community can move forward with us from October onwards. If not, these plans will be delayed to early 2012.
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